How Did We Get Here
by MusicNerd20
Summary: On a summer cruise between her freshman and sophomore year of college in 2001, Bella Swan meets soccer player, Edward Cullen. Over the course of a week, sparks fly between the two. Seventeen years later, Edward, now a soccer phenomenon and a celebrity, is moving back to the States to play in the MLS. What happens when he finds there’s more back home than he thought?
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: I started this story last summer and posted the first three or four chapters. I had to stop writing due to time constraints and family issues. I took the original post of this story down, but recently, decided to re-post and attempt to continue this story. I've made a few very minor tweaks to the time line, but other than that, it's the same story. I look forward to trying this journey again with everyone._

 **Prologue**

 **Warning: Lemon/NSFW**

 _All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, except for one, which you'll read about._

(EPOV)

 _There she was standing in front of me, looking the same as I remembered her. Hair the perfect shade of chestnut, falling down past her shoulders. Big, brown, doe eyes smiling at me with a hint of innocence. The strawberry scent of her shampoo mixed with her favorite vanilla fragrance greeting my nose and lungs like a long lost friend. The corners of her luscious pink lips turning up in a smile at me, and I am at a loss for words. Everyday since that day when I was nineteen, for the past seventeen years, I'd wanted to see her again, hold her again. I wanted to show her how much she meant to me and how, even though our time together had been short, I'd fallen in love with her. I'd never been able to move on, try as I might._

 _"Edward," she calls softly, almost as a whisper. I want to answer, but it's as if I have cotton stuck in my throat. I move my lips, but the sound of her name refuses to fall from them._

 _"Edward, I need to tell you something," she says louder._

 _"What," I try to respond, but again my vocal chords are nowhere to be found._

 _"Edward, I —," but the rest of her sentence is muted by the annoying sound of wind chimes?_

 _Zzz…Zzz…Zzz…Zzz…_

 _"I'm —," I hear her say, but again, the rest of her words are lost to the sound of vibrations and a high pitched tone._

 _Zzz…Zzz…Zzz…_

 _I can't wake up till she tells me, but I feel myself fading away from her._

 _"Bella," I attempt to call her, but this time, though I find my voice, it's overshadowed by the noises again._

 _Zzz…Zzz…Zzz…_

Before I know it, I'm awake and coherent of the twinkling ringtone and vibration of my phone, which has pulled me away from her and the deep abyss of slumber I'd been in. Groaning, I roll over with my eyes still closed, grasping around the cold sheets till I find the source of the annoyance. Cracking one eye, I tap the stop on the screen and sigh heavily. It was the same dream I'd had many a night before since we'd parted ways that night seventeen years ago, and since I'd arrived in Seattle three nights ago to join my new team, it seemed as if it played on repeat, haunting me because she never finished her sentence.

I wondered if she'd moved back to the Seattle area or if she'd stayed in Chicago after finishing her English degree. I wanted to know if she'd seen the news of my move. It was kind of hard to miss. It'd made headlines not just in the sports world, but all over news outlets and social media. The legendary Manchester United striker was leaving to finish out his career in the MLS, which would lead him back home to the good ole state of Washington to play next to Clint Dempsey on the Seattle Sounders.

I roll over and check the time again. 6:45am. I need to get up and get moving. I have a busy day ahead of me; report to the practice facilities by 9am, press conference at 9:30am, practice at 10am, new team photos at 12pm, then off to visit my parents and brother, who'd remained in the area even after my big move at the age of eighteen.

I know what you're thinking, if my family is still here in Seattle, why hadn't I tried to track her down when I came to visit? I wouldn't be completely lying if I said my visits were too short for that, but in all honesty, it was more so due to the fact that I was a coward. As much as I wanted to see her, to talk to her, there was a bigger part of me that was terrified of what I'd find; Bella moved on, married to another man with children that weren't mine. The picturesque white picket fenced life. The one that I'd always wanted with her. I didn't want to tarnish those dreams with reality, so I didn't.

Sliding out of bed, I turn on the TV to ESPN for the morning cast of SportsCenter, which I liked to have on while I got ready, then I make my way to the bathroom to start my day. After brushing my teeth, I hop in the shower, letting the steam and hot water relax the tension and nervousness I'd been feeling from the whole transition. As per my morning ritual, I drop my hand down to my morning wood and run my thumb across the top. I groan as I envision Bella joining me in the shower. She drops to her knees and takes me in her warm mouth, wrapping her perfect pink lips around me. I pump myself harder as I think of her licking me, her teeth slowly grazing along my length. She looks up at me with those big, innocent eyes, mouth full of me, and I know I'm done for. "Oh sweet fuck," I moan as I thrust my hips hard into my hand twice before cumming all over the shower wall, roaring her name.

I take a couple of deep, shakey breaths to get myself under control then rinse off the mess I'd made. Quickly, I scrub myself down and wash the untamable, bronze mop on my head. As I step out of the shower, I dry my hair before wiping down my body and wrapping the towel around my waist. That's when the sound of the anchor on TV catches my ear.

 _"And as if having returning soccer superstar Edward Cullen wasn't enough for the state of Washington, it seems there's another name breaking through on the female circuit. Sixteen year old, Elizabeth Renee Swan, from the tiny town of Forks, Washington seems to be well on her way to making herself known, not only to college recruits, but to the U.S. Women's National Team as well. Here's Rachel Nichols with the latest…"_

As soon as I hear that name and "Forks", I practically stumble out of the bathroom in my haste and find myself standing right in front of the television. I watch the story unfold right in front of me, but it's as if I can't comprehend the words. The young girl on the screen looks so much like my Bella. Same heart-shaped face, same lips, same nose, but her eyes are a piercing green like mine and her hair, though the same length Bella's had been, is a brilliant shade of bronze.

I feel the wind leave my body as I add up the dates and evidence in my head. She's sixteen. Bella and I met seventeen years ago on that cruise. Her name, Elizabeth, matched my own mother's middle name, Esme Elizabeth, and her middle name, if I remembered correctly, was Bella's mother's name. Physically, there was no denying who her parents were. _How come she never told me? Why didn't she try and contact me? Did she think I wouldn't want this? Want her? Want them?_ So many emotions stormed through my brain; hurt, anger, love, sadness. I was so damn confused as to what to feel, what to think.

 _Fuck_. I just wanted to know why. I wanted answers to the thousands of other questions swimming in my brain. And most of all, I wanted to know her, to know them.

My daughter.

 _My sixteen year old daughter._

My knees hit the end of the mattress as I sit down, stunned. I bow my head and try to breathe evenly. I tug at my hair in frustration as realization hits me, "Holy fuck. I have a daughter."

 _Hi, readers! Thank you so much for checking this story out! It'd mean a lot to me if you follow, favorite, and comment on this prologue. Like I said above, I look forward to re-starting this journey with all of you and finishing it. Until next time, happy reading!_

 _Much love,_

 _Sam_


	2. Soak Up the Sun

**Soak Up the Sun - Chapter One**

 _Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

 _ **Then – Summer 2001**_

"Don't you dare touch the dial," Alice says sternly, swatting my hand away from the radio as she keeps her eyes on the road. We'd just started our hour-long trek from Orlando International Airport to Port Canaveral for our first ever post-freshman year summer celebratory cruise, that's what Alice is calling it anyway, and though our journey had just begun, I was already sick of the local pop station she'd found.

"Alice, if I have to listen to one more *NSYNC song, I may actually jump out the window," I respond, only being halfway sarcastic.

"This is _not_ *NSYNC," Alice states, looking over at me offended, "This is BBMak."

"Like there's a difference," I mumble under my breath, but it must not have been low enough as she throws a glare over in my direction.

When I'd met Alice in August, in that tiny dorm room, I didn't have the slightest inkling she'd become my best friend. On the contrary, I wondered how I was going to adjust to living in Chicago, halfway across the country from my home in Forks, Washington, and college life with such a bubbly, little sprite around. It's not that I am an unhappy person; it's just that we're complete opposites. I am extremely shy and introverted. I love books and am planning to earn my degree in English. Alice, on the other hand, is almost too friendly and extroverted. She loves clothes and is attending UIC to study fashion design; two areas I tend to have minimal interest.

" _We're going to be the best of friends, I just know it,"_ she'd declared excitedly as she'd wrapped me in an unexpected hug as we stood in our small rectangular room just after meeting one another. I clearly remember standing there not believing her words, but as usual, it was like she could see the future, and she was right. Now, sitting in the car with her about nine months later, traveling together on a summer cruise, I couldn't imagine my life without her.

"What time is our port call again," I ask her, watching out the window as we pass by more marshland, trying to see if I can find an alligator somewhere between the mud and tall grass.

"On the phone, my dad told me we needed to be there by 1:30, and we're about twenty minutes away, I think." I glance at the clock on the dash, and it reads 12:55pm. Know Alice to be on time, especially when she's driving.

"You know, I know they said they wanted to do this for us, since they want us to 'finish freshman year with a bang'," I air quote, "but I still feel like I should pay your parents something for such an extravagant trip."

Alice simply rolls her eyes, "You know my parents won't accept a dime from you. They love you and consider you as their own, so don't even think about it."

Did I mention Alice is an only child, born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, who comes from an extremely wealthy, southern family? Yeah, I didn't know that either until I went home with her over fall break. She'd led to believe that she could afford her extraordinary shopping habits from money she'd built up while working at a boutique in high school. While that was partially true, imagine my surprise when we pulled up to a huge plantation style house, and her parents, also dressed impeccably well, greeted us on the front porch steps. It was a far cry from the tiny, two bedroom home I shared with my police officer father, Charlie, or the house my mother, Renee, lived in with her minor league baseball player husband, Phil, in Phoenix. Needless to say, I wasn't used to such a luxurious lifestyle.

As we cruise along the highway, I welcome the sunny, warm, Florida breeze on my face through the rolled down window. In Chicago, it'd basically been winter till April, and when spring break had rolled around, there was still snow on the ground. Trading the frozen tundra that was campus for sand and ocean air was the best decision we could have made. As soon as we set sail, I plan to leave every worry and thought about going back to Forks this summer behind.

After twenty-ish minutes of listening to Alice belt out the words to both "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey and "Ironic" by Alanis Morisette, the huge ships docked in Port Canaveral come into view. "Ahh, we're finally here," Alice squeals, bouncing excitedly in the driver's seat of our rental car.

"I can't wait to get on board," I say, smiling with an equal amount of anticipation as we pull in, and I scan the enormous boats to see which one is ours.

When we finally get parked, we drag our luggage to the terminal and check in with security and the cruise line's staff for our room keys. Though the whole process seems to take a good thirty minutes, it goes by in a blur, and before I know it, we're on board and making our way to the cabin that will be our home for the next week. As we walk down the narrow, gaudily wallpapered corridor, I can feel the ship rocking with the rolling waves of the ocean. This is sure going to be fun with my balance problems. Flat ground and I don't get along well at all on a regular basis, so a swaying floor for a week was probably going to be even worse.

"Found it," Alice sings as she stops abruptly in front of thin door marked '225'. She slides her key in the lock and swings the door open before marching her way in. "Welcome home. Wow, it's _a lot_ smaller than I thought it'd be," she balks as she glances around.

Taking in the space before me, I have to agree that it's tiny, even for two people. "How does this sleep up to four," I ask incredulously.

This room is even smaller than our dorm room at UIC. The small entryway can barely fit one person at a time. On the left of the short hallway, along the wall, are two, fairly empty, wood closets that, I'm assuming, act as a storage area for our luggage; the only other items inside are four life vests. To the right, there is another thin door. I open it and take a peek at what I find to be the bathroom, cramped with the basic necessities; a shower that barely fits an average human, a minuscule mirror/medicine cabinet combo over the soup bowl of a sink, and thankfully, a normal sized toilet. As the cabin opens up, there is a vanity consisting of a phone and a large mirror lined with tubular lights placed along the wall just after the closets. Two, neatly made twin size beds lay parallel within inches of each other in, essentially, the center of the room, and high on either wall, two more beds lay folded up. A small, box television sits on a ledge in the far right corner.

"I have no idea. It's a good thing we're only here to sleep and get ready," Alice's voice brings me from my evaluation, "or else I don't think we'd survive being so on top of each other twenty-four seven."

"I agree," I say as I flop down exhausted on one of the beds, closing my eyes and putting an arm of over my face.

"Also, on the bright side, we have a window unlike the rooms across the hall," Alice chirps optimistically. I guess, that is a plus. "Hey," Alice quips as I feel her prying my arm from my eyes, "You are not going to nap now, missy. We still have the Sail Away Party on the upper deck to go to, and I plan on finding people to hang out with."

"Ali, we've been traveling all day, so forgive me if I'm tired and would like a few minutes to catch my breath. Also, I don't know how I feel about finding random guys to hang out with."

"Did I say guys," she feigns shock, placing a hand to her chest.

"No, but your tone implied it," I quirk my eyebrow, knowingly.

"C'mon, Bella! It's finally summer. Let loose. Find cute guys. It doesn't mean it has to last forever. It's just for the week. Have some fun!"

I'm about to give her my rebuttal on how our ideas of 'letting loose' and 'having fun' differ and how I seem to repel guys when there is a knock on our door. "Coming," she hollers, ending the conversation and maneuvering her way to the door as I sit up to see who's there.

Our stewardess and housekeeping staff have come to introduce themselves. A young, Hispanic woman is standing in the hallway accompanied by a short, Indian man. She speaks to both of us by name, which surprises me, as she tells us to call her, 'Carmen', and her partner, 'Amun'. "Miss Alice, Miss Bella, if either of you need anything during your stay, here is my contact information," she hands Alice a small business card. "Don't ever hesitate to call and request anything," she smiles kindly.

"Thank you," I can't help but reply genuinely to her positive, sweet demeanor.

"Also, before we embark, there will be a safety drill in about ten minutes, which will inform you of any information you need to know in the event of an emergency. Your muster station, which is where your group will meet, is on your room key. Just follow the signs and directions of the staff, and you'll make it to the right place."

"Do we have to wear those ugly, orange vests," Alice asks with a cringe.

"No," Carmen giggles, "not unless there is an actual emergency."

"Thank God," Alice sighs in relief.

"Any other questions?"

Alice and I look at each other before she shakes her head, "I think we're good for now."

"Again, just let me know if I can do anything for you. I hope you both enjoy your stay," and with that Carmen and Amun make their way to the next room.

"Only you would be concerned about having to match orange with your outfit," I roll my eyes. "What would you do if the ship was actually sinking?"

"We have to come back here to get them anyway, so I'd just change really fast," she shrugs like it's no big deal.

"In the event of an emergency? When things are panicked?"

"You completely underestimate my changing abilities," she challenges like I should know better, which honestly, I probably should.

The staff knocks on our door again, this time with our luggage, and no sooner than we bring it in the room, our Italian captain comes over the ship's intercom, "Good afternoon, guests, and welcome aboard! This is your Captain speaking. My staff and I are so excited to have you with us this week. We are looking forward to beautiful weather and fun adventures as we embark, but before we can depart, we must first have our emergency protocol meeting. At this time, if all staff will get in position, we will begin in just a few moments."

When the drill begins, Alice and I make our way out into the hallway and follow the stream of people headed in the same direction. Our muster station is located in the nightclub, and after we check in, they send us to the far left corner as they pack everyone in like sardines in a can. I watch as Alice, bouncing on her toes, scans the buzzing room to see how many people are around our age and which ones look like the best fits to hang out with. "Ooo," her voice raises an octave as her gaze stops in the opposite corner, "look at those men," she says with hearts in her eyes.

I follow her eyes and see what she means. Standing in that corner is the most beautiful specimen of man I have ever seen. He's quite tall, much taller than my five foot four inch frame, and while I expected his height to make him awkwardly lanky, my assessment is thrown off by how amazingly lean and muscular he looks to be. What draws me in even further are his astonishingly beautiful facial features. His tousled, reddish-bronze hair perfectly offsets his pale skin, and his nose and jaw are so sharp and angular that they look like a portrait that's been retouched to take out all the blemishes. His lips draw into an brilliant, white smile as he laughs at whatever his even taller, well-muscled companion says. Just as I think I'm fully captivated, he turns to look toward our corner. My breath catches in my throat as I take in how astonishingly handsome he is. and I feel myself getting lost in the matter of looking him over. He's literally a Greek God placed on Earth, pulling me in without even having said a word.

I catch myself getting too carried away with staring him down and avert my eyes quickly back to Alice before I can get caught. "Get lost looking at McDreamy over there," she grins.

I can't help the blush that creeps into my cheeks as I suddenly find interest in my Converse sneakers, "Yeah."

"He's staring at you too."

"No, he isn't. It's probably someone behind us," I respond, keeping my head down as I try to make a curtain with my hair to hide my red face.

"Nope, he's looking at you," she quips excitedly.

"Alice, I doubt it. Now, stop looking in their direction."

"Fine," she turns back to me, "but I'm going to find him after this and hook you two up."

"Don't you dare. He probably has a girlfriend back home or is a complete player, and I'm not into that. He's way too out of my league anyway," I shrug.

"That's so not true. We have got to work on your confidence," she emphasizes. "And…he just looked your way again."

"Alice," I glare at her, getting hushed by a couple of people around us as a man in a highlighter yellow hat with the word 'MUSTER' written in bold across the front begins to demonstrates the proper way to put on a life vest. I try my hardest to stay focused on what we're being told, but more often than not, I find my line of sight drifting to the corner, where Adonis and his buddy are snickering over something. He must feel my eyes as his head turns to glance our way. Automatically, I look back toward the man up front, my cheeks even more a solid red color of embarrassment at getting caught. Honestly, I can't wait to get out of the tiny space to keep from further incriminating myself.

Thankfully, like an answer to my prayers, they begin ushering everyone out to the lifeboats for the final leg of the drill. This is also when I realize I've been in my own world the whole time. I sure as hell hope the ship doesn't go down while we're on it because I'll probably end up going down with it. As we all pile out into the hallway, I completely lose sight of them and sigh, though I can't tell if I'm relieved or disappointed that they're gone.

"Where'd they go," Alice asks, sounding a little panicked. We're now standing outside on the deck in front of a small boat with the rest of the crowd, and though he's tall, I can't spot that unique auburn hair anywhere.

"I don't know. I wasn't keeping tabs on them."

"Sure you weren't," she picks at me.

"Hey, I can enjoy him from afar," I try my best to act nonchalant about it.

"But it would be so much better up close. You know I'm right."

"Ali, please, let it go," I beg.

"Fine, but just know, I have a feeling you'll be seeing him again with or without my help."

"Well, we're trapped on a boat with him, so I won't be surprised if we do," I respond dryly.

"I know you don't want to believe me, but you'll see," she tsks.

Finally, they dismiss the meeting and invite everyone to the upper deck for the Sail Away Party out by the pool with food, drinks, and music. Alice grabs my hand and drags me in, what I assume is, the right direction. Once we get up there, we grab drinks from one of the food stations and go find a place along the side railing as the ship blasts its horn signaling our departure. An upbeat, pop song starts to blare through the speakers and the passengers around us cheer and scream 'bon voyage', waving to the people standing below along the dock.

"And we're off," Alice smiles, clinking her glass to mine as the ship slowly idles out to sea, "Happy summer!"

"Happy summer," I beam happily. Now, I can officially put all of my worries away until we land back in Chicago in a week. I gaze over the edge, fascinated, as the shoreline starts to become smaller in the distance. When my stomach growls, I realize I zoned out for a moment, mesmerized by the scenery. "Hey, Ali, I'm gonna go…," I begin to tell her I'm going to grab some food, but soon find she's disappeared.

I scan the deck to see if I can find her in the throng of people, and I swear, I hear her familiar laugh from behind me. Turning on my heel to head that way, I smack into something, or more like, someone. "I'm so sorry," I stumble back, looking up slightly frazzled. My breath hitches as I lock my gaze with smiling, brilliant emerald eyes and tousled bronze hair.

"It's alright," he dazzles me with a lopsided grin as he reaches his hands out to steady my shoulders. I must stare at him stupidly because he continues. "Let me formally introduce myself. I'm Edward Cullen," he states in a voice smooth as velvet, taking his hands away from my shoulders and holding one out to shake.

"Bella Swan," I stammer. I grab his hand for a firm shake, but almost jerk back from the electric shock it sends through my body. He must feel it too as I watch confusion lace his perfect face, but it only lasts a second before he's smiling again.

"Well, Bella Swan, care to join me for some food?"

All I can do is nod dumbly. As I follow him toward the buffet line, I catch Alice smirking at me, knowingly, from where she's standing talking to the bigger guy Edward was with. Damn you, Alice Brandon.

 _Hi, readers! Thank you all for the positive response to the prologue. It helps to encourage me to continue writing this piece when I see how many people are interested in it. I will say I haven't come up with a posting schedule yet, so I can't tell you when exactly the next installment will be posted but hopefully, soon. I hope you all enjoyed this opening chapter as much as I enjoyed tweaking and reading back over it. It would mean so much to me if you left a comment on this chapter. I love reading them and am happy to answer any questions you may have! I look forward to hearing from you all soon! Much love & happy reading! _

_Sam_


	3. I'll Be

**I'll Be** \- **Chapter Two**

 _Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

 _ **Then - Summer 2001**_

"Hold _still_ ," Alice chastises from behind me, brushing through my hair again. Currently, I'm sitting in front of the vanity's mirror in our room while Alice plays 'Bella Barbie' in preparation for tonight. After a day at sea, the ship is hosting one of its three formal dinner nights this evening in the dining room, and Edward and Emmett have invited us to be their dates.

Since he asked me to have food with him at the Sail Away Party, we've basically been inseparable. Last night, we only parted ways when we finally decided to catch some sleep in the wee hours of the morning. Though I'd been nervous at the start, seeing as I wasn't sure what a gorgeous guy like him saw in a plain, shy girl like me, I quickly found that it was so easy to hold a conversation with him. It was like he seemed to hang on my every word, which made telling him about myself seem so effortless. He would smile and nod throughout our conversation, looking so intrigued like I was a riddle he couldn't solve without asking questions.

In a crazy turn of conversation, as we'd wandered aimlessly through the ship after getting food, I found myself drawn to Edward even more when I discovered we had more commonalities than I'd thought we would. Edward was also from Washington, though he grew up in Seattle about four hours away from where I lived, and like me, he came from a single parent background.

" _What about your parents," I asked him as we found two lounge chairs to sit in on one of the quieter back decks. I'd just finished explaining to him how I'd moved in with Charlie at the beginning of high school, so that my mom could be with her husband when he traveled for his minor league team._

" _I live with my mom and technically, my dad."_

" _Technically?"_

" _Uhmm…," he said hesitantly._

" _You don't have to share if it's too personal. I was just curious," I wanted him to remain comfortable with me and not feel like I was being pushy._

" _No, no," he insisted. "It's nothing like that. It's just kind of a long story, I guess."_

" _Well, we're on a boat in the middle of the ocean with time to kill, and I've told you all about me. I'd like to think I can keep up," I smiled encouragingly._

 _With a deep breath, he began,"So, when my mom got pregnant with me, she and my birth father lived together in Portland. They were only dating at the time, and when he found out, his true colors showed, so to speak. He accused my mother of sleeping with another guy, swore up and down I wasn't his, and told her to get an abortion or he'd leave her."_

 _I looked at him stunned. "What an asshole," I said, disbelief lacing my tone._

" _Yeah, tell me about it. So when my mom chose me over him, he left. She then moved to Seattle because she didn't want to stay in the same town as him, understandably," he shrugged. "After my mom had me, we struggled. We lived in lower income housing, and she worked two jobs to give me all she could. She's literally a saint. It was just the two of us until I was about eight. That's when my mom started dating Carlisle, my stepdad and Emmett's father. My mom was visiting a friend in the hospital when she bumped into him. He was a doctor in his residency at the time. Anyway, he asked her on a date when she came by again the next day, and the rest is history. They married just after my tenth birthday, and I asked him to adopt me when I was thirteen. He's the only real dad I've ever known," he looked out at the ocean with a deep concentration in his eyes._

" _Wow, that's…that's quite a story," I wasn't sure what else to say._

" _Yeah," he agreed mindlessly. There was a long pause in the air like neither of us knew how to continue from that._

" _So, your dad is a doctor," I finally decided to break the silence._

" _Yep. He's an oncologist."_

" _And what does your mom do?"_

" _She works part time as an interior designer, but mostly she's just been a stay at home mom for Emmett and me."_

" _Wait…what about Emmett's mom," I wondered, realizing that Emmett and Edward didn't share the same mother, and he'd yet to mention her._

" _She died in a car accident when Emmett was two. Much like my mom, Carlisle put all his effort into caring for Emmett while working his ass of to become a doctor. That way they could have the best life possible."_

" _They sound like incredible people."_

" _They truly are," he nodded, flashing that crooked grin that made me weak in the knees._

As we continued from there, I learned that, like me, Edward enjoyed school, though he was a science guy thanks to his dad's medical background. But when I'd asked him where he went to school, he'd looked up at me sheepishly through his long eyelashes. Then he'd jokingly made me promise, pinky swear actually, not to judge him as a douchebag before he told me anything. That's when I got the real scoop. He'd left home right after graduating high school to live over seas in England. Apparently, he was a phenomenal soccer player, and a professional team over there had asked him to come play for them as soon as he was eligible. Currently, he was on their U20 team, but was quickly on his way to the big leagues. Though I haven't the slightest clue about sports, I knew that had to be a pretty big deal, and to say I was gobsmacked would've been an understatement; it also totally explained his incredible physique. Before we'd realized it, it was well past dark and close to two in the morning. He'd insisted on walking me to my cabin, and somewhere along the way, he'd grabbed my hand causing that electric current to go through my body again. As we stood in front of my door, he'd promised to meet up with us at the elevators around ten for breakfast in the morning before hesitantly kissing my cheek and heading to his room.

"Earth to Bella," Alice's voice drew me from my thoughts. "Thinking about Edward and that hot body you saw earlier?"

"Yeah, sorta," I blush, remembering the way Edward had pushed himself out of the pool, arms muscles flexing. That delicious "V" of his hips that helped his board shorts sit at just the right place. The way the water droplets fell from his toned chest. _Swoon._

"I have to say," Alice remarks as she switches to applying a light blush to my cheeks, "neither one of them is lacking in the muscles or personality department," she winks at me in the mirror.

"So true," I agree, "Though, Emmett doesn't seem much like your type. He's big & football player-ish. You tend to go more for the quiet, lanky kind of guy who can read your emotions like a book. Like that guy from your psychology class you always talked about…Jasper, I think?"

"Yeah, I like Jasper. He's cute," now it was her turn to blush. "But you're right, Emmett totally isn't my type. Definitely not interested, but he's a lot of fun to hang out with and really funny. He'll be a good buddy to have on the trip, especially when we venture onto the islands or you're with Edward."

"Yeah, and I think Edward mentioned he had a girlfriend last night, anyway," I shrug, now thinking back on it. "But you should totally try and talk to Jasper next semester. I'm surprised you haven't sooner."

"Maybe I already got that rolling this past semester," she quips quickly as she starts to add mascara to my eyes.

"What?!"

"Hold still! Do you want a mascara line across your face?"

"No, but I need details. Why haven't you told me this?!"

"I was just trying to feel it out first, didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. But when finals started getting closer, like middle of April, I asked if he wanted to study with me at the library. He agreed, and we started getting to know each other," she shrugs.

"So that's where you'd go during the afternoons after your classes," I state as it dawns on me.

"Yep, and we have two classes together next semester, so I'm excited to see what happens in the fall."

"Did you get his number?"

"Yes, and viola," she finally exclaims as I look in the mirror at her finished work. "Edward is so going to appreciate my artistry," she smirks.

"Thanks, Ali. It looks great. But don't think you're off the hook. We're gonna talk about this more later."

"Sure, sure," she says as she looks at the clock then goes to rummage through her luggage, pulling out two black dresses in the process. "Here, put this on," she tosses a form of material my way.

It lands on the bed next to me, and I stare at how little and short it is. "Alice, this won't fit," I look at her like she's crazy.

"Nonsense. Hey, zip me up," she requests as she turns around. I draw the zipper up her back as she hikes up the front of the strapless dress.

"Wow."

"Your turn," she motions for me to change.

Quickly, I pull the halter top over my head and work to adjust the kinks. Surprisingly, for a dress so extremely form fitting, the fabric is comfortable, and I'm able to move quite easily. Alice hands me a pair of black stilettos before putting on her own. _Oh boy, a rocking ship and six inch heels. This doesn't completely have disaster written all over it at all._

Alice must notice the sarcasm in my eyes at that thought. "Edward will catch you if you fall," she says simply before turning to face the mirror. "Damn, we look HOT," she exaggerates as she stands up straight. I can't help but blush. The girl I see in that mirror is so not the typical me, but it's perfect for tonight.

Just then there's a knock on our door, and Alice shuffle runs her way to open it. "You ladies ready to be escorted to dinner," Emmett asks with a cheeky grin, leaning on the doorframe, and if he were my type, I'd totally be drooling. He's dressed in black slacks and black dress shoes with a white dress shirt to match; the top few buttons are undone to reveal part of his toned chest.

"Yep," Alice chirps as we grab our clutches and join the men in the hallway. That's when I finally get a good look at Edward. His pants and shoes match Emmett's, but he's wearing a blue button down instead of a white one. I can't help but stare at him. _Damn, he's a fine man._

His eyes meet mine before he gives me an up and down glance, the emerald of his eyes twinkling at my look for the evening. As Emmett and Alice lead the way to the elevators, we trail behind and he grabs my hand in his. This time, I enjoy the feeling of the spark that the contact creates. "You look amazing, Bella," Edward's cool, mint breath whispers in my ear.

I blush at his words. _There goes my underwear. Be smooth, be smooth_ , I remind myself. "You don't look too bad yourself," I try my best attempt at being flirtatious. It must work as a light pink fills his cheeks.

"Well, what a couple we must make then," Edward grins proudly.

"Get a room, you two," Emmett chuckles loudly as we step into one of the elevators causing me to blush even more and my ears to get hot.

Thankfully, we had selected a specific dining time prior to boarding and were able to be put ahead of the others waiting, who had not chosen a time, on the list. When the hostess informs us that there will be a short wait, we decide to head out to the grand central area of the ship to wait for our buzzer to go off. We stand around, chatting and watching the people as they pass by, some more casually dressed than others. After about fifteen minutes of waiting, our pager goes off, and we find ourselves being led through the dining room then seated at a four person table next to a window overlooking the ocean.

"Damn, Emmett. How'd you sweet talk the hostess for this fucking view," Alice jokes as she picks up her menu.

"I have my ways," he banters back, and if we hadn't talked about it earlier, I would totally think they were flirting.

We hadn't even been seated two minutes when our wait staff assistant comes by to fill our water glasses. "Your waitress will come by shortly," he informs us as he pours the last of his pitcher into my glass.

No sooner than he takes two steps away from our table, a red headed waitress approaches. "Good evening," she speaks with a thick Irish accent, "My name is Maggie, and I'll be taking care of you lot tonight. Can I start you off with something other than water to drink?"

Edward and Emmett are seated diagonally across from each other, making the double take Maggie gives them glaringly obvious. "I'll just stick to water," Edward nods, not really giving her the time of day.

"Same," Emmett chimes in.

"Well, I'll be different," Alice states proudly. "Can I get a Coke?"

"And for you, sweetheart," she smiles at me.

"Uhm, I'll have a Sprite."

"I'll have those out to you shortly. While you wait, take your time looking over the menu and remember, you can order as much of anything as you like since it's all inclusive with your trip," she leaves on that note to go and put in our drink orders.

It doesn't leave my attention the way Emmett's eyes almost bug out of his head at her 'all you can eat' comment. As I look over my menu, trying to decide if I want soup or salad for an appetizer, I feel Edward's hand on my shaking knee, which immediately stops at the touch. I hadn't realized my anxiousness about the evening until that moment. "What're you feeling, love," Edward's velvet voice asks quietly from beside me.

It takes me a solid second before it registers that he means food and not my feelings. Him calling me 'love' seems to have caused a lapse in brain's computing skills. "Uhh…" I catch myself before making a stupid comment, "I was looking at the shrimp fettuccine Alfredo. Seafood sounds wonderful right now. You?"

 _Whew, wait to recover, Bella._

"I think I'm going to get a steak and a baked potato with steamed veggies. Gotta keep it healthy, even in the offseason," Edward rolls his eyes.

Emmett agrees that he's looking to get the same except he wants fries and mac'n'cheese instead, which he says means in his own wise words, 'fuck the offseason'. That makes me curious, "So do you play soccer with Edward in England?"

"Ha, no," Emmett shakes his head. "Soccer's for pussies. I play the great game of American football," he shoots a prideful grin in Edward's direction as if he often teases him about their sporting differences.

"Oh, where," Alice joins in, being drawn from her menu.

"The awesome University of Southern California," he throws up a 'hang ten' hand. "I'm their star senior tight end."

"I have no idea what the tight end thing means, but it sounds pretty cool. USC is much warmer than our campus at UIC," I say, trying to imagine what it's like to go to a school where it's warm and sunny all year round.

Dinner seems to flow quite easily from there. Alice and Emmett banter back and forth while we talk about school, sports, and the inevitable, life growing up in Washington. We find out that Emmett and Edward decided to take this cruise to spend some much needed 'bro' time together since they don't see each other much during the year due to the distance. When dinner arrives, we waste no time digging in, and it's as delicious as it looks. Edward and I share bites of our food with each other as if we'd been dating for a while, which I guess, could be seen as strange, but it all just feels so right and effortless. Alice gives me an "I told you so look" from across the table, and I feel the light tinge of blush creep into my cheeks once more.

After dessert and surprisingly, watching all the dining staff perform for diners, which we find out is a nightly ritual, we sit around our table trying to figure out what to do next. "I heard the Activities Director say they're showing a movie out by the pool tonight. That could be fun," Edward suggests.

"If they're showing _Titanic,_ it won't be," Emmett cracks with a chuckle causing us to laugh. Once our giggling dies down, he continues, "I overheard some dudes earlier in the elevator say the comedian at the comedy club was pretty funny last night. We should try that out. His show starts at 9, I believe," he checks his watch."If we leave now, we'll make it in time"

"Let's do it," Alice agrees eagerly.

"Is that okay with you, Bella," Edward checks, though I get a small feeling his voice is hinting that he wanted to do something else.

"That's totally fine. I'm down for whatever, unless you had another idea?"

"Uhh…," it's the first I really see him stumble for words before he relents, "No, no that's fine."

We arrive about ten minutes early and grab a semi-circular booth at the back, facing directly center stage. Alice and I slide in first before Edward sits next to me, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling me closely into his side; Emmett heftily anchors the other end. While we wait for the show to start, one of the waiters circling the room drops by for drink orders. I'm shocked when Emmett doesn't hesitate a wink before ordering a round of Fireball shots, two beers, presumably for him and Edward, and two strawberries daiquiris. The waiter doesn't even ask for any of our IDs as Emmett hands him his room key that doubles as his onboard credit card, telling him to put it all on his tab.

"Holy fuck. How'd you do that," Alice exclaims after the waiter walks away. "None of us are twenty-one yet," she says her tone hushed as if not to reveal our secret and get busted.

"Who said I was sharing," he laughs cockily. "But actually, I am twenty-one; just turned in December. I added the drink package to my sailing plan, and Edward and I are splitting the cost. As long as the card of the passenger ordering is twenty-one, they don't check to see who the drinks go to," he states nonchalantly.

The cop's daughter side of me is completely against this, but I can't help the rush I feel at being just a little rebellious. While I've sipped on some disgusting beer at the two parties I've gone to with Alice, I've never done shots, hard liquor, or been drunk in my entire life. This makes me almost positive that I'm probably a lightweight, so when the waiter returns and sets the load of drinks on the table, I request a water as well. As the lights dim, we all grab a shot and clink them together. "Bottoms up," Emmett winks before throwing his back.

The Fireball burns on the way down, and I gasp at the tingling sensation it leaves in my chest. Though Alice and Emmett are distracted by the act on stage, Edward isn't oblivious to my discomfort. "Here," he hands me the water that had just been brought by, "Drink."

I take two long gulps before the fiery feeling in my chest starts to smolder away. "Definitely never had that before," I cringe at the thought.

"Better," Edward questions, placing a light kiss to my temple. All I can do is sigh and nod in contentment as I snuggle closer into his side.

The comedian seems to be really funny, but I can't tell if I'm laughing more so from his jokes or the mixture of Fireball and sips of rum from my daiquiri. I'm not drunk off my ass by any means, thanks to the water, but I'm definitely feeling looser than earlier in the evening. When the show ends about an hour later, the Activities Director invites the audience to the night club to enjoy the ship's guest DJ and some dancing. Of course, Alice is all about that and practically spills her drink as she scrambles to leave the booth. Edward grabs my hand and his beer as we trail behind her.

"This is definitely more Alice's scene than mine," I giggle involuntarily causing him to smile at my tipsiness. "I can't dance…at all."

"It's not really mine either, but I can definitely teach you how to dance," he says so charmingly that I literally melt.

When we step foot in the club, I realize that, if I didn't have a little alcohol in my system or Edward right next to me, this place would be my personal nightmare. There are people around the edges on couches smoking and drinking, some flirting with each other, like something out of a movie, and the dance floor is cram packed with people, dancing and bumping around all over each other.

I feel Edward's grip on my hand tighten as he leads me onto the dance floor. The DJ starts playing "Pony" by Genuwine, and the crowd eagerly cheers, being pleased with the song selection. Edward takes that as his cue and turns me so my back is flush up against his chest. He moves his hands to my waist and guides my hips to the rhythm of the music, and I can feel exactly what this maneuver is doing to him. At first, I feel awkward and blush at that, I mean we are technically in public, but when I realize no one is paying any attention to us, I let my guard down and just flow with the music as best as I can.

With each song, he changes the pace of the dancing, all the while softly humming along or placing soft kisses along my neck. He so sweet and gentle, and it's turning me on so damn much. "Alright," the DJ announces as another song ends, "We're gonna slow things down now, and I wanna see all my couples out on the dance floor sharing this one. This is Edwin McCain and 'I'll Be'."

As the first notes pour from the speakers, Edward takes my hand and spins me to face him. He pulls me close and wraps his arms around my waist, dropping his head to my shoulder as we sway to the song. There in his arms I feel so safe and secure. Then he begins singing along in my ear, and the tone of his voice is like he's begging me to believe he truly means every word. We continue just like that as we move slowly around the dance floor, and it feels like we're the only two out there. As the song begins to reach its finale, Edward moves his head to look deeply into my eyes before crashing his lips to mine, creating our first true kiss. His lips feel so soft against mine, and he's so firm yet so tender in the way her caresses my face. I feel myself melting further as, just barely, he let's his tongue graze across my lips causing them to tingle from the touch.

In that moment, with that kiss, it truly hits me. Though I'd only known Edward Cullen for two days, I was quickly falling for him, and it seemed like he was doing the same for me. When we finally pull away, I struggle to catch my breath, and my mind races with foggy thoughts. I look into his green eyes again and all I can see is the truth and passion that linger in them. "Wanna get out of here," he asks gently, nodding in the direction of the door.

All I can do is shake my head in agreement. I'll follow Edward Cullen anywhere.

 _Hi, readers! I hope you enjoyed this new installment. I had someone comment that they felt like they had read this story before. Yes, you may have read it before, but I took the original down because a) I didn't want to leave an unfinished story out there because I know how frustrating that is as a reader myself and b) I didn't have time to keep up with it when I first started. So now, here I am reposting this story and attempting to finish it. I'm still not sure of my posting schedule but as soon as I come up with one I'll let you know. Drop a comment on this chapter, give it some love, and I'll write you all again soon. Until next time..._

 _Happy reading!_

 _Sam_


	4. Collide

**Warning: Lemon/NSFW**

 _Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

 _ **Then - Summer 2001**_

"Wanna get out of here," I ask gently in her ear, hoping she can't hear the slight edge of anxiousness in my tone. When she nods in agreement, I feel myself release a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I take her hand in mine, reveling in the tingling sensation it creates through my body, as I lead us out into the much quieter hallway.

It's not until we're free of the clusterfuck of noises and bodies, that I pause momentarily. I hadn't really thought about where we'd go from here. All I knew was that I wanted to be alone with her, even if it was just to talk more. I wanted it to be just us. I wanted more.

When I'd seen her across the room at the safety briefing, I'd felt this automatic pull towards her. I couldn't help but keep an eye on her as she stood in the opposite corner with her friend. She was so naturally beautiful it took my breath away, and the way she'd attempted to hideaway in that corner and not look in my direction only drew me to her more. I'd felt this strange need to break down whatever walls she seemed to be constructing at just the mere idea of me, which was not something I wanted to do with many other girls. From just that distant interaction, I could tell she was different from most women who took interest in me, and I wanted to prove to her that I was different from 'that guy'. I couldn't let her slip away and remain a mystery during the trip; I had to know her.

My heart had raced when the golden opportunity struck at the Sail Away Party. At first, when we'd headed out to the lifeboats, I'd completely lost sight of her in the crowd, and I couldn't help the feeling of dejection that ached within me at the lost opportunity. But as it would seem, fate, or Alice as I now liked to call her, had other ideas for sooner rather than later. I'd just told Emmett that I was going to go grab a drink when Alice bounded over and eagerly introduced herself causing me to stop in my tracks. When her friend didn't join us, I asked where she was, and Alice happily pointed me toward the railing, where her beautiful, brunette roommate had her back to us, watching the horizon. I'd quietly excused myself from Emmett and a smirking Alice with every intention of meeting her.

As I'd approached her, she'd spun on her heel abruptly, startling me as we collided. My hands shot out to steady her so she wouldn't fall, and she looked up dazed as she took me in. Her doe eyes were so innocent and shocked at first, and I subtly sucked in an awed breath as my mind tried to ingrain every detail of her face. Before I could let myself get too caught up, I stuck out my hand and nervously introduced myself. The blush that had crept into her cheeks when she'd bumped into me only deepened as she reached for my hand, cutely stumbling over her own name. When our hands connected, an electric wave shifted through my body, and I wasn't sure what had hit me, but I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling it left behind. From that moment, I knew I was completely captivated and would spend the rest of my time on this trip getting to know her. Though I'd never truly believed in it before, a small voice in my head told me that this was absolutely love at first sight.

I was absolutely thrilled when she agreed to get food with me, and my heart thrummed in my chest at the soft sound of her voice. I could listen to her talk all day, and thankfully, I got to as I continued to ask her questions about herself, hoping she would open up further to me. Unlike most girls, she was an enigma I couldn't crack, so impeccably smart yet so shy about herself. It made me enjoy picking up every little detail I could about her. That's why, that first night when we parted ways, I'd promised to meet her for breakfast. The more time I got with her, especially alone, the better as it would allow me to truly know her more and more. I was addicted. And though she'd completely knocked me off my feet earlier today when we'd all hung out by the pool, her in just a tiny string bikini making it hard to control myself, nothing could've prepared me for how amazingly beautiful she looked tonight in that skin tight, black dress and those heels. She could've knocked me over with a feather when she'd greeted me just outside her doorway. Intelligence and beauty, what more could a man ask for?

Snapping back to reality, I realize I've totally lost myself in those thoughts as I stare into her captivating brown eyes. She's like a a drug, and after that first kiss, all I want to do is kiss her again. I can't help myself. She looks like she's about to say something, but I stop her by capturing her lips with mine once more. This time I'm gentler than the last. Her lips still taste sweet from the daiquiri, and I notice again how perfectly they mold to mine. But before I let myself push it any farther, I release her.

"Where to now," she asks curiously.

"Just follow me," I request as I go to lead the way, but she stops me.

She looks at me bashfully when I turn back towards her. "I'm not really a heels girl," she points to her shoes, "Give me minute to get these things off?"

I can't help but chuckle as she leans on my shoulder to slide them off. Once she's holding them in her hand, she sighs in relief, and the sound goes straight to my pants. "Ready?"

"Lead the way," she smiles.

I take her hand in mine again, and hastily, lead the way through the ship's rocking hallways, passing the bustling casino and the closed candy shop. We stop in front of the elevators, and I push the down button, knowing exactly where I want to take her. Stepping into the tiny, empty space, I push the button for my floor and pull her into my side, wanting to be closer to her than just our hands. The romantic tension inside radiates off of us so palpably it can be cut with a knife. I feel her lie her head on my chest contently, and I grin to myself that she feels comfortable enough to do this. As I watch her, this sense of complete peace and happiness washes over me. Mentally, I recognize the fact that it's only been a few days, but my heart realizes that I'm quickly falling for this doe-eyed, intelligent brunette from Forks.

The ding and opening of the silver doors let's us know we've arrived at my floor. I step off first and lead the way down the corridor that smells similarly to the scent they pump through almost every hotel. I stop in front of Emmett's and my door on the left side of the hall and slide my key card out of my pocket. Pausing, I look into her anxious eyes before I slip the card in the lock, opening the door to our suite, which is much bigger than their room. As we step inside, I watch as she takes in the two queen sized beds in the middle of the room and the balcony on the far wall.

"Wow," she breathes in awe. "How'd you guys…"

"Professional soccer player and my dad's a doctor, remember," I smile, tapping my temple playfully.

"Oh, right," she blushes, seeming slightly embarrassed she didn't put two and two together. She sets her shoes on a chair in the corner and continues to take in our cabin.

I slide past her and push the door to the balcony open, the salt air of the sea filling the room. "Care to join me," I motion with my hand, and almost automatically, she follows.

"It's beautiful out here. So peaceful," she says as she gazes out at the giant full moon over the water, leaning against the railing.

"It truly is," I agree, moving beside her. We stand in comfortable silence, enjoying one another's company and the look of the moonlight as it dances along the waves. Finally, I build the confidence to break it. "I know I told you earlier, but you really do look absolutely stunning tonight."

"Thank you, Edward," she looks up at me, cheeks slightly pink.

I want to tell her how one of kind she is. I want to tell her that she literally takes my breath away every time I see her, and that she's the smartest girl I've ever met. I feel this massive urge to let her to know that I'm falling for her completely, but it's only been a matter of days, and I don't want to scare her away. Of course, like the angel she is, she saves me from my panic.

"You know," she starts, and I can tell she's nervous, "I wasn't sure what to expect from this trip. I knew no matter what Alice and I would have a good time, but I definitely didn't expect to find someone, especially someone as amazing as you," she pauses, thinking. "See guys like you don't tend to even look at girls like me, let alone give me a chance. Edward, I'm so grateful to have bumped into you, quite literally, and that you have given me that chance to open up to you. You have made me feel so happy over the past couple of days, and it's truly made me feel like I'm the only girl you see. We have such a connection, and I'm dreading when this trip ends. I don't want to lose you," she looks away, and I notice the way she tries to discretely swipe at her eyes.

My heart swells at her words, and my confidence builds. I want to comfort her and tell her the same. She has made me so happy too, and I want her to know she is the only girl in my world right now. I want to push away those thoughts of the end.

"Bella, I'm so grateful for these past few days too," I agree. "They've been the most fun I've had in a really long time. I've never had a connection with another girl the way I have this one with you. We just click, and I smile so much when I'm around you. Then, after I kissed you, I realized that I can't get enough of you. You're like my own personal brand of heroin, and I just want to be with you all the time, which is why I brought you here," I finally take a deep breath. After spilling my heart, I had one more thing I wanted to add, "Bella, I know this sounds crazy since I've only known you a short time, but I'm falling for you, and I totally understand if you're not—."

She cuts me off by smashing her lips to mine, totally shutting me up and taking me by surprise. I let her take charge as she slowly lets her lips guide mine, and this moment feels so right. "Sorry," she finally pulls back a little breathless, red painting her cheeks, "you just didn't need to finish that sentence because I get it, Edward. That what I was trying tell you, but I chickened out," she takes a deep breath again. "I'm completely and irrevocably falling for you too."

I know it sounds young, crazy, and stupid, but it's all so true. There is something so distinctly passionate and electric between us that it cannot be denied and hearing her feel the same way only makes my heart soar higher. I bring her mouth back to mine. This time our kiss is more heated and urgent. It's like a need that hasn't been satiated in ages, and with just one sweet taste, you're suddenly grasping for more. I pull her body into mine and hold the back of her soft hair with my right hand, trying to cement my words as truth. I draw my tongue against her lips, and she happily grants me entrance. As our tongues battle for dominance, I back her against the glass of the door and hoist her up to wrap her legs around my waist. Though she's light, I'm careful as hold her and push the doors open to the room.

Inside, I lay her down on the plush mattress closest to the door and crawl on top of her, my elbows holding my body weight off of her. I move to kiss down her neck, and she giggles at the sensitive touch before letting out a moan as I reach the soft, hollow where her neck meets her shoulders and suck. As the sound goes straight to my dick, the voice in my head tells me to stop and make sure she wants this. Though she seems eager, she needs to know that it doesn't have to go further if she doesn't want it to, and I'll be okay with leaving it right here. It won't change my feelings for her.

"Bella," I call out breathlessly, looking up to her eyes, so she sees how serious I am. "Bella, this doesn't have to go any further, if you don't want it to. Just say the word and we'll stop. It won't change my feelings for you, I promise."

"Edward, I want this. I want you. All of you. Please," she practically begs, reaching to undo my button down.

"Promise me, if it gets to be too much you'll say so," I make her swear.

"I promise."

Happy with her response, I go back to her body, and this time I make sure to take my time. I want this to be special for us, not just some quickie. I return to kissing along her neck and shoulder, though this time I deliberately cherish every inch of it. I can hear her moaning lowly at the touch, and it spurs me to continue moving along her shoulder. Her hands shakily reach for the buttons of my dress shirt as she attempts to take it off. Sitting up on my knees, I undo them for her, letting it slide off my broad shoulders. I watch as she goes to take her dress off, but stop her hands mid movement. I want to be the one responsible for that. Helping her pull the dress over her head, I then ball it in my hands and toss it to the floor. She tugs at my belt, and happily, gets it undone before unbuttoning and unzipping my pants. I stand at the foot of the bed and let them fall to the floor as I toe off my socks and shoes.

She looks so beautiful sprawled out on my bed in her lingerie. I want to just stand there and admire her, but I don't want to keep my girl waiting. Crawling back onto the bed, I gently nudge myself slightly between her legs. They feel so silky smooth against my skin, and I allow myself to skim my finger tips along them, eliciting a shiver from her.

Wanting more, I dip my head to meet the inside of her knee, and my lips begin their journey upward. The mewling sounds she makes and the way she tries not to writhe underneath me, as my path leaves a burning trail moving closer to the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, only make my dick strain harder against my boxer briefs. She reaches her hands down to grab my shoulders and attempts to hold me in place. Finally, I reach where she wants me most, and I can smell her distinct arousal as she moves her hands to my unruly hair. Her long fingers enclose around the locks on the top of my head and tug lightly as I continue to tease her by kissing where her thigh meets her panty line.

"More," she moans, digging her finger tips further into my scalp.

"Your wish is my command," I reply, lifting my head away from the sweet scent of her core and flashing her my signature lopsided grin.

Lacing my fingers inside the bottoms of her black panties, where I can feel how wet I've made her, I slip them down her legs. I allow one hand to gently caress the inside of her thigh while my lips track up her stomach, wanting to tease her just a moment more to see how long we can both hold out.

"This has got to go," I growl when the fabric of her bra barricades my lips from their journey to her beautiful chest. Not to be deterred, I glide my hand around her back and unhook the clasp like an old pro, pulling it off of her and chucking it somewhere to the side. "Much better," I smirk as I stare at her perky breasts, and she lets out a giggle, slightly confusing me.

"What's so funny?" I'm trying to be sexy and romantic here.

"You. You're just really cute."

"I'll show you cute," I respond as I move to kiss her smiling mouth, my tongue easily being granted access again. This time I control the kiss as I palm her left breast in my hand. Its round shape fits perfectly to the mold of my hand. She groans in my mouth, and I'm not sure I can contain myself much longer as she grasps at my back, trying to gain more friction between us. My mouth finds its way to her now pebbled left nipple that I'd been playing with as I switch to palming her right.

"Oh…oh God," she sighs heavily as my teeth graze and lightly tug at the skin there. "I n—need y—you now," she can barely get the sounds out her "o" shaped lips.

Remembering what I told her just moments ago, I don't keep her waiting. Hastily, I slip my boxer briefs off, finally springing my throbbing erection from its confines. Her eyes meet mine as I line myself up with her soaking center. The gentle nod of her head and look in her eyes tells me she's ready. Carefully, almost achingly slow, I slide myself into her tight warmth, and the connection I'd felt between us before at just the mere touches we'd shared intensifies. The sharp intake of breath that leaves her lips and the way she scrunches her face also don't leave my attention.

"You okay," I ask concerned, knowing I'm above average than the typical male

"Give me minute," she requests breathlessly.

I'm not going to lie, it's hard to control myself from moving. All I want is to ravish her. After a few seconds though, she gives me the 'okay', and I slide back out of her. Setting the pace slowly, my mouth enjoys the taste of hers once more as my hands enjoy softly exploring her body. I can feel her digging her nails into my back as her feet dig into the backs of my thigh.

"Oh…more…more," she chants into the darkness, and I pick up my pace, angling my hips to go just a bit deeper, eliciting another loud moan from her. "Oh…oh, Edward!"

"Fuck, Love," I moan as I pull my lips from where they were sucking on the sweet spot of her neck, "You're so tight."

Her nails drive even further into me as I speed up, basically begging for more friction between us. She so tight, so warm, so perfect, and I feel this all consuming need to love and protect her. Finally, the sounds of our moans and pants replace our kissing as our sweaty bodies move together like magnets.

"I'm not gonna…last…much longer, baby," I barely get out between breaths.

"Me…either," she agrees. Wanting to ensure she gets off, I glide my right hand down her side and over the curve of her thigh before finding the place it wishes to land. Ever so lightly, my index finger and thumb tickle the bundle of nerves hidden away between her legs.

"Oh, Edward! Yes," she practically screams, arching her back to meet my solid chest and breathing heavily. Her walls clamps securely around my cock, milking me for all I'm worth as she rides out her orgasm, and I know I'm going to follow right behind her.

"Bella," I roar as my hips give two hard thrust then still as I cum inside her. Holding myself over her with my arms, I smile down at her spent form and she grins back. We're both breathing heavy, and I can't help but move a strand of her hair from her face, so I can see her better in the moonlight. "That was amazing, love," I whisper before leaving her warmth and lying down next to her.

She nods in agreement as I adjust spoon her into my chest, kissing the top of her messy, brown hair that cascades down her back. As we lie there naked together, I realize again how crazy it sounds, but I know for a fact that I love this girl. She truly is my love at first sight, and I will do whatever it takes to keep our relationship going. I didn't think I was prepared to tell her that, but as her breathing evens out against me, I heard her mumble faintly in her sleep, "Edward, I love you."

My eyes drift shut as I fall asleep a happy man with a giant grin on my face, knowing we're on the same page. I can't wait to spend the rest of this trip and more with her.

 _Hi, everyone! First of all, I hope you enjoyed Edward's point of view. It was a blast to write, but I hope I didn't make him too much of a sap. Also, I don't have a ton of experience writing lemons, so I hope I did their first time justice. I would love to know your thoughts on how things are playing out with everyone and maybe some ideas of what you'd like to see in the next chapter as that's where I got stumped when writing this last time. Comments mean so much and keep me writing. On the previous chapter, I didn't get too many, so if you wouldn't mind dropping one, that'd be awesome! Until next time..._

 _Happy reading!_

 _Sam_


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